Abiding on the Breath

Abiding on the Breath is a foundational Buddhist practice, as well as a core element of one’s training when taking refuge vows with SBT. In its title, the term ‘abiding’ can be understood as, existing, dwelling, or resting. So, to abide on the breath, is to focus and anchor our attention or awareness on the sensation of our breathing. The Buddha is said to have practiced ‘dwelling on the breath’, giving rise to the term, ‘the noble or sacred dwelling’ for this practice.

The way the practice works, is when focusing and sustaining the full power of our attention upon a single point, in this case the breath, a remarkable thing happens. We discover and experience an amazing state of mind referred to as presence, also known as present moment awareness; to be in the here and now. A mental state free of incessant thinking, and our fixation on the past and future. A shift in awareness in which we find balance between the ‘doing’ mind and the ‘observing’ mind. The doing mind is our ordinary mind that plans, plots, evaluates, and calculates. Whereas the observing mind is our open awareness that simply perceives, experiences, and feels without conceptual filters, interpretation, or judgment; to simply sit as an observing witness to the present moment. Experiencing this balance, results in a more open and expansive awareness, imbued with clarity, objectivity, mental focus, patience, fortitude, and self- control.

The actual practice is to try to stay mentally present within our activities as we go about our day. A practice referred to as mindfulness*. A practice referred to as mindfulness*. By keeping a small amount of our attention continually on our breath, we lessen mental distraction and mind- wandering, while also keeping us anchored in the present moment. Through consistent practice, we slowly begin to gain control over the thought process, or more appropriately the thinking process. Here, a distinction needs to be made between thought and thinking. Thought, is a natural byproduct of the mind which arises naturally from mental imprints and internal and external experiences; whereas thinking, is the intentional or habitual act of operating those thoughts. In its best scenario, thinking is focused on achieving goals and finding solutions (creating, working, communicating, learning, or helping others). In its worst scenario, thinking can be an uncontrollable habit that often torments the thinker through relentless thought, much of it negative. This type of uncontrollable, incessant, and often senseless habitual thinking is often likened to a hamster on a wheel, on which the rodent mindlessly never stops running. However, with practice, by abiding on the breath we can help to lessen or even eradicate these habitual or negative aspects of the thinking process. Through this, we gain mastery over the mind and thinking process, giving us the freedom to choose what to think or even to not think at all.

The aim of abiding on the breath is to become more consciously engaged and present within the experiences that make up our lives; to become more skillful and effective within our daily interactions, activities, and environment. It’s to stop living our lives on autopilot, in which we blindly follow established habits, patterns, and social conditioning. It’s to gain mental and emotional stability and maturity. To experience thoughts, emotions, feelings, and impulses in their appropriate and rational context, free of over-reactivity.